60 Sir william Hamilton’s Account oj 
all feemed dark and difmal, except the cone of Vefuvius,, 
which was covered with glowing cinders and fcoria , y 
from under which, at times, here and there, fmall ftreams 
of liquid lava e leaped, and rolled down the fteep fides of 
the volcano. This fcene put me in mind of martial’S' 
defeription of Etna r 
Cunicta jacent flammis , et triflf merf a favill'd. 
In the parts of Naples neareft Vefuvius, whilft the 
eruption lafted, a mixed fmell, like that of fulphur, with, 
the vapours of an iron foundery, was fenfible; but 
nearer to the mountain that fmell was very offenfive, as- 
I have often found it in my vilits to Vefuvius during an. 
eruption. 
Thus, sir, have I endeavoured to convey to you at 
leaft a faint idea of a fcene lo glorious and fublime as,, 
perhaps, may have never before been viewed by human 
eyes, at leaf!; in fuch perfection. 
I am fenfible, from the traces of them I have obferved 
in the volcanic ftrata, which compofe the greateft part of 
this country, that there have been many more conlidera- 
ble eruptions than the one juft deferibed ; yet, mod pro- 
bably, thofe very violent eruptions muft either have been 
attended with earthquakes, and other fuch alarming cir- 
cumftances, as to make the beholders lefs attentive to the 
beauty of the feenes fuch phenomena offered than to 
their 
